Another attendant notices that he went missing for the night as his dinner was not touched. The samurai leads Hoichi to mysterious and ancient court. A spectral samurai appears and tells him that his lord wishes to have a performance at his house. One night he hears a sound and decides to play his instrument in the garden courtyard. Hoichi is an attendant at a temple and is looked after the others there. His specialty is singing the chant of The Tale of the Heike about the Battle of Dan-no-ura fought between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the last phase of the Genpei War. Hoichi is a young blind musician who plays the biwa. "Hoichi the Earless" ( 耳無し芳一の話, Miminashi Hōichi no Hanashi ) is also adapted from Hearn's Kwaidan (though it incorporates aspects of The Tale of the Heike that are mentioned, but never translated, in Hearn's book). Minokichi places her sandals outside in the snow, and after he goes back inside, they disappear as Yuki accepts them. She disappears into the snowstorm, leaving Minokichi heartbroken. Yuki then leaves Minokichi with the children, warning him to treat them well or she will return and kill him. Despite the fact he broke his word, she refrains from killing him because of their children. It is then that Yuki reveals herself to be the yuki-onna, and a snowstorm comes over the home. He tells her about the strange encounter. In the light, Minokichi recalls the yuki-onna and sees a resemblance between them. She is stitching a kimono in the candlelight. Yuki accepts the sandals and tries them on. When she asks why he always gives her red ribbons on her sandals, he tells her of her youthful appearance. One night, Minokichi gives Yuki a set of sandals he has made. The older women in the town are in awe over Yuki maintaining her youth even after having three children. The two marry and have children, living happily. She never leaves for Edo and Minokichi falls in love with her. The mother takes a liking to Yuki and asks her to stay. Minokichi offers to let her spend the night at his house with his mother. She tells him that she is on her way to Edo, as she lost her family and has relatives there who can secure her a job as a lady-in-waiting. One day while cutting wood he comes across Yuki, a beautiful young woman travelling at sunset. Minokichi returns home and never mentions that night. The yuki-onna warns him to never mention what happened or she will kill him. When the yuki-onna turns to Minokichi she remarks that he is a handsome boy and takes pity by sparing him because of his youth. Two woodcutters named Minokichi and Mosaku take refuge in a boatman's hut during a snowstorm. "The Woman of the Snow" ( 雪女, Yukionna) is an adaptation from Hearn's Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things (1903). He manages to escape, only to be attacked by his ex-wife's black hair. Rapidly aging, he stumbles through the house, finding that it actually is in ruins and overgrown with weeds. He wakes up the following day only to discover that he had been sleeping next to his ex-wife's rotted corpse. The two happily exchange wonderful stories about the past and the future until the swordsman falls asleep. She assures him that she understood that he only left her in order to bring income to their home. She mentions that Kyoto has "changed" and that they only have "a moment" together, but does not elaborate further. He reconciles with his ex-wife, who refuses to let him punish himself. The swordsman informs his lady-in-waiting to tell his second wife that their marriage is over and she can return to her parents in shame.Īfter a few years, the swordsman returns to find his home, and his wife, largely unchanged. He points out his foolish behavior and poverty as the reasons why he reacted the way he did. When he is told to go into the chambers to reconcile with her, the swordsman refuses, stating his intent to return home and reconcile with his ex-wife. The second wife is furious when she realizes that the swordsman not only married her to obtain her family's wealth, but also still longs for his old life in Kyoto with his ex-wife. The swordsman regrets leaving his more devoted and patient ex-wife. His new wife is shown to be callous and selfish. However, despite his new wealthy status, the swordsman's second marriage proves to be unhappy. "The Black Hair" ( 黒髪, Kurokami ) was adapted from "The Reconciliation", which appeared in Hearn's collection Shadowings (1900).Īn impoverished swordsman in Kyoto divorces his wife, a weaver, and leaves her for a woman of a wealthy family to attain greater social status.
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